Dough divider



Feb. 28, 1933.` I w G* KlRCl-{HOFF 1,899,238

DOUGH DIVIDER Filed July 19, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mammaly Febzvza 1,933 1 WILLIAM exiacnnolr, or Lomcimwrr,c1110. 4lvssiefiroitTo THE J. H VDAY L p oF icrNcINNATLoHId A yconrongiTIoN ori oHIogV neuen ,mv-nana y ,implication meld 'iuly 19, This invention relatesto improvements in a dough divider ofthe general tfype disclosed in :the patents to W. G.-Kirchho #1,217 ,778,

` and P. S. Ward, #1,229,188.-v

- An object of the invention istov provide A633D Figs. and -7; are ycross-'sectional views 4dough divider having ian improved `dough measuring mechanism of great accuracy and r extreme simplicity. Y

c. Another-,object isy toprovide" ai dough di#l vider having a doughmeasuring mechanism Which may/.bey very accurately adjusted by simple means, to discharge dough lumps of` yuniform size.

. kAnother object is to provide a devlice which ymay readily Lkbe disassembled lfor purposes of f cleaning or parts replacement. f y l These and other objectsare attained by the means described herein anddi'sclosed in ithe accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of adough divided embodying the invention. Fig.` 2 is across-sectional. view taken ony line 2`2-0f Fig. 1. f.

Fig. V3 is anelevationalfview ftakenson line 3.3ofFig.'1..-.- 'f y F ig.4`is an isometric view' of a :plunger forming la detail of the invention. 5 ".,Figy 5 isa-cross-sectionalview'taken on line 5 5 ofFig. 3.

showing .safety `devices associated with `the device ofthe invention. l x c The dough divided disclosed herein is of the samev generalltype as that disclosed .in they abovementioned Kirchhoff patent, wherein dough or other plasticlmaterial is fed from a hopper to a compression -chamber where it is cutoifbya knife-edged sliding ,cut off plate and subsequently rammed intorone or more measuring chambers. The measuringfchambers thereupon are emptied or i discharged lonto a conveyor `or other' suitable vreceiving means, bythe action of individual plungers actuated Ain unison by 'a contact member operated bythe driving mechanism of the machine. VIn thefdrawings, 6 represents the hopper, k2' the compression'chamber, 8 the sliding .cut ofplate, y9the measuring chambers, 10 the 'measuring chamber. plungers, and'll yindiuocates the contactmember. 2 The receiving movedzto'retr'acted position asftheram is re-y means of the motor 25..V The 1930. jvseriai No 4e9,'i`9e. n y* means', which may bea belt conveyor or the like is indicated at 12j,y and my: be drivenfby l any suitable meansY suchk as kan yarrangement of gears 13 operatively connected to a suitable source of power, for example thel motor 25.

The ram 14, which is disposed kys'fitliinlthev compressionachamber adjacent the f cut off plate r8, maybe reciprocatedthereinby means yof A'ajyieldable connecting rod iv15V yto lwhich is impartedreciprocatoryfmovement .by acam or other eccentric element 16.` J The movement ofy the rod 15 maybe transmittedztothefram 14 byemeans of connecting members v17 and 18. c AThis structure' is disclosed'fzin detail Vin the aforesaid Kirchho' patent, butthe means for reciprocating 'saidram Vis not to be. limited v to'those setforth therein.;4 4The strokeof the 'rammaybevaried by means of'a stop handle 219 which.` may be disposed in various positions-upon ithenotched rod 18. -A simpley 10' .means for reciprocatingfthe cut ofi plateis indicated, 20 being a camv follower :following` l l a cam21 and connectedby ineansof pivote .linksy 22, tothe plate .8." The arrangement of the slidingplate with vrespectto the kram, is "I5 Y such that theplate'willfclose thebottomof the hopper-While the ram -isvadvancing to-4 ward theme'asuring drum, theplate .being The shafts23 and 24 which; carrythe cams or eccentric. vmembers, 16and 21,re'spective- 1y,"have their endsfjournaledfin the frame of ,the`machine, and said shafts are frotatedlby v `motor-may be provided with a sprocket 26Iover whichpasses a chain 27 for engaging a'sprocket on'a drive shaftl28. Gears 29, 30 andBlmay be em# ployed for rotating the shafts 23 and 24.L

At thefdischarge endg32of the. pressure chamber 7is supportedv an` oscillating cylindrical drum or the ylike 33 in which are formed f the diametricallyf disposed measuring cham-y y bersor pockets 1,0. `The said chambers pref. erablyare offuniformsizeand they extend 1n kparallelism transversely of the-drum, both yed reciprocation of 4"the plungers 10 therein.

The drum may be supportedfor partial rota-1.

, ing from the head are a plurality'of intersectingl guides 37 which contact the inner walls of the measuring guides `has bolted orotherwise secured` to its free top surface a stop block 38. `One or both of the free ends of the stop block overhangs` the guide as indicated at 39. ThisV extending end serves to limit the movement of the plungerkintothe plunger chamber, as it abuts the body ofthe drum at 4.0 (Fig. 1). In this position, the curved Vhead 36'of-the plunger coin- Y cides Vwith thelouter curved surface of the drum.

An arm-41 is fixed relative tothe drum by any suitable means, such asa key 42, whereby the drum may be oscillated substantially ninety degrees to `and from the discharge position indicatedin Fig 1. The free end of said arm has pivotally .mounted thereon a connecting rod 43which may be'reciprocated by eccentricallylmounting it relative to the shaft 24 as indicated at 44s. Connection 44. may be a pivotalfconnection on the gear 31, if desired. It will be readily understood thatupon each rotation of shaft. 24, Athe drum` will be moved,

through an arc ofgapproximately ninety degrees, from the discharge position shown,to y

the charge or receiving position and back to the discharge .positionV In thereceivingfposition, each measuring chamber is disposed in alignment with the compression plunger or ram and its chamber 7. Plastic materialf forced into the measuring chambers by the raml will move the measuring chamber plung-` ers 10 to a retracted ositionV thereby'filling said measuringV cham rs with plastic material' ordough. Y j i Means. are provided for limiting the outward movement ofthe measuring plunger. Said means comprises asingle adjustablestop bar 45 which is disposed in the path of rmovement. of the'plungers '10," and which extends longitudinally of the drum.` The'stopbar is supported nearits opposite ends by mutually rotatable screws 46"`which are journaledat 48 in a'frame or'support47 fixed upon th'edrum by means of bolts or Vthe-like 49.' Each end of the stop bar preferaby is Ysecured to a at face 50 `of a nut orinternallythreaded run-` chamber, and one of the Y, y y

the screws:4 Said means may be a-chain 61 "passing over sprockets 63, one of which is fixed .upon each screw (Fig. 3). the crank 62, the stop bar may be raised or lowered relative to the drum and plungers 10. Y

securely fastened to the nut or runner. It will readily be understood that other types of lock nuts could be employed for the purpose. The nut or runner preferably is provided with a way or channel 59 for receiving a guide 60.V of the frame piece 47. l f

Means are provided:` for rotating the screws 46 in unison, upon turning a crank or the like 62 whichis fixed upon an end of one of Upon actuating er stroke. Saidmeans comprises aV screw 64:

extending through-the stop bar? in the direcg tion ofplunger travel, saidscrew being locked by any suitable means suchas a set screw 65. A screw suchras'64 is disposed directly above each stop member 38, as indicatedin Figu 3.V

Upon lil-ling of the measuring chambers, and uponmovement of the drum to the v`discharge position, shown in Fig. l, it is-necessary to move theretracted plungers 10 downwardlyto the discharge position.` The means for 'movingsaid plungersto effect discharge Vof the dough from the measuring'chambers.

comprises a contact bar 11 rigidly supported at itsends b'ya pair of arms 66, each of which has a free end thereof ixedly mounted upon a rock shaft 67. The rock shaftis mounted yfor rocking movement in a pair of brackets 68 supported'by the machine frame. To one of the arms 66 ispivoted, asat 69, aconnecting rod 70, the lower endof'which cooperates with a cam or eccentric 71 fixed to the shaft 23. From the foregoing it will be vreadily apparent that rotation of shaft 23 will effectrocking of the shaft 67 and unitary oscillatory movement of the arms 66. Cam 71 is so positioned relative to shaft 23, that the contact member 11 will be elevated to an inoperative position `upon movement of the drum into the dough'recciving position. Upon movementof the drum into the discharge position indicated in Figi, the.` arms 66 arev actuated, thereby causing the y,contact member 11 to descend upon all of the contact members 38 of theplungers. The contact member 11 extends longitudinally ofY the drum 33 and serves as al common means for returning the plungers l0 to the initial or` extended position.'1

VvThe ,operation of the device is as follows, vWith reference to Fig. l, it will be noted that Vthe ,drum 33is inthe discharge position, that the stops 38,

is, the contact member l tended into ythefdough receptacles 9. yUpon i Attention is directedto the connecting rod 7 5 f the plungers 10,

starting the drum is rotated to the receiving'positiom at which time the ram 14 is advanced for forcing dough froml the chamber 7 into the measuring chambers 9, thereby causing the plungers 10 to move outwardly until stopped by reason of the abutment of members 38 and 64. The position ofbolts 64 determines the quantity of dough admitted to the measuring chambers. Cut off plate 8, it will be noted, is at this time in closed position-relative tol the bottom of the hopper, and contact member 11 has been moved to an elevated position.v The cam 211th-cn operates to move the'drum to the disch arge position shown y in Fig. l, Whereupon the plate-8 andv ram 14 are retracted, the vacuum thereby formed being .utilized to suck the dough 'from the hopper into chamber 7.y At the same time, the contact member-Mis 94 lowered, by the action of cam" 71, to extend thereby ldischarging the l.

measured dough lumps upon the conveyor 12. Upon raising of the contact member and upon movement of the drum toward thereceiving position, the lplate-8 andram' 14 are advanced foi` repeating the operation. f y y It will be readily understood that the drum and all of the mechanism on Aframe47 are moved bodily by the action of the eccentric means 21, and that by removing the two lock nuts 56 the bar 45 may easily be removed to permit `removal of the plungers 10 without altering any of the adjustments. ,y

kVarious driving elements ofthe machine are provided with means lfor dough, entry of foreign articles intothemaf chine and possible seizing oftheibearmgs.

which, through members 22, actuates the out olf plate. 'This rod is provided with anelongated slot 76 in which is slidably mounted the bearing block 77 toi which is pivotally connected the upright member 22. The block has first loosened, whereupon the stud 82 may beyunscrewed Vsufliciently to permit removal of fixed thereon a punch 78 which normally eX- tends through a bored forming part of rod 75, and abuts a renewable sheet metal fracturable safety plate '80 which is received in a transverse slotk 81 of the housing. Abutting the opposite face of the safety plate the bore 83 of which is of asize to receive the punch when it breaks through the safety plate because of strain on the cutk oflplate; Toerenew the safety plate, the thumb screw 84 is the/fractured safety plate from its slot k81.

v After inserting a new plate, the nut is drawn up tightly `and locked by means ofthe thumb screw.` It should ybeapparent `from the fore- 'going that ythe slidable bearing will be permachine fromthisy position, the

\ sion ,90 in member ple, seizing ycause shearin'gfof the safety key. The safety"-Y precluding `breakage of parts ,due` tohardening of the,4 .is keyed'at y Eachcollar isfprovided vat its periphery with a slot Oropenin'g'A such' as 103, whichgwhen alignment, may receive` a conkey96. .y suitable yguard`104 covers the slots 103'when the' key is intactLy thereby` Drecludingdts lessor removal.` Up-fno onapplication offgreat :torsional strain toV one section'` of the shaftgthe other, section willl neoting safety portionor housing79,

is a hollow screw threadedstud 82,L

-the machine.

The connecting rodf43nzfory actuating` the ldrum is providedlalsowith,A arsafety devicef 8.7"(.Fig-y AY7) which will permitrelative longitudinal movement of the components 85 and 86 of the jrod. Member 85 vis yprovided. with a longitudinal way 88 in which the member k86 may reciprocate upon application` of suli- I ycient str-ain to cause removal ofthe-pointed spring` urged safety pin` 89 from theA depres- 86.y To re-setthis safety device it islnecessary only to loosen the per- A foratedv nut 91, thereby relieving the force of `springz`92, `and then to relatively move the members'85 and 86 for disposing the pin 89 Within the xdepression 90. The nut 91 may then'be'tightened- -A plate 93,.,upon which the member 86 may slide, isbolted Vor other'- andflis shown a vsafety safetyL keyy 96 lof 4 tion of excessive 4any of the shafts' vheet metalfupon applica-` of bearings' for these shafts would device comprises apair o closelyadjacent collars 97V and 98 oneofwhichis mounted for. rotationv with ja sectionf99 ofthe drive vshaft which may .rotate relative to an aligned section 100. The vother collarlis keyed or otherwise yfired tothe-section 991. As illustrated int-he drawings,\collar'97 is 'keyed at 101 to drive shaft section 100, and collar 98 in registry or tend vto twist'. and'thefcollars 97 and 98 thereupon will'no longertendto rotate in unison. necting keyf96 will shear, thereby y free rotation of one collar relative to the other. though lthemotor` continues to run. f To re,- new the safety key, it `is necessary only to loosen the thumby screw 105 whereupon the guard 104 maybe removed, or slid byrealson ofthe elongated 4slot A106 therein, toex-v pose the key slots.` 4The broken key may,`

As a result of the strain, the con-- permitting' 'N85' ywise securedto! member 85,.'als indieatedat V 'device fortlie mainlor I.drive shaft 28.` This' l safetydeviee'is` so 'constructed'. as to shear' arresistance to rotation l.ofy 28,523 or 24. For exam` 102 to drive shaft "section 99.

`The 'machine thereupon willpstop thenbe replaced by anew one'andthe guard positioned thereover as (indicated .in 6.

It is to be kunderstood that various modil fications and changes in structural details of the device may be made,'within thescope of -l' iso i the appended claims,without departing from the spirit-of the invention.. i I

Ihat is claimed is: -i i p `1.In adough divider thecombination of 5a chamber member rotatably mounted `and movable to receiving and discharging Ypositions and having a row of measuring cham- :bers formed therein, reciprocable plungers inthe measuring chambers, meansfor advancing a substance for entry into the measuring. chambersas the plungers move torretracted positions While the chamber member is in the. receiving-position, means for moving the chamber member to the discharg- '15 ing position, a frame .immovably secured to the chamber memberand out of alignment With the path of movement .of the plungers seas to oiier no obstruction to removal of the plungers in the direction of the frame, and a 4readily removable stop bar adjustably z mounted on the frameand overhanging a part of each plunger to provide ttor predetermined outvvard'movement of the plungers andV which bar may be rremoved bodily from its position on they frame for allowing ready Y 11 Yremoval andfcleaning ofthe plungers. 2.I Ina dough divider the Vcombination of f a chamber member rotatably mounted anhd movable vto receiving and' discharging positions and having a row of measuring chambers formed therein, reciprocable plungers in the measuring chambers, means for advance ing a substance for entry into the measuring chambers as the plungers move to retracted positions While",the chamber' member is in the receiving position, means for moving the vchamber member to the discharging position,

frame immovablysecured to the chamber member andout of alignmentwvith the path of movement of the plungers so'cas to oiier no f obstruction to removal of the plungers in the y direction ofthe rame,a runner guidedior f movement along the frame" and adjusting means for fixing the location o the runner, v

445 a stop bar removably mounted upon therun-` ner and overhanging a part of each plunger, l individual adjusting means on the stop bar i for contacting the said parts of the plungers whereby to limit outward movementof the i plungers independently of one another, re- Y moval of the stop bar withl its individual adjusting means serving toallow ready removal and cleaning ofthe plungers.

In testimony whereof, I `have hereunto subscribed my name this 28th day of June,

- p WILLIAM G. KIRCHHOFF.. 

